A Human Factors Approach to the Design of an Animal Euthanasia Workstation

Abstract

A field study was conducted to assess the effects that a new animal euthanasia workstation had on users. Two different humane societies participated in the research. At one society, a new euthanasia facility that incorporated human factors engineering standards and recommendations into the design was constructed. At a second humane society, no changes were made in the workstation. Questionnaires were distributed to employees of the two humane societies both one month before and four months after the design was implemented. The impact of the design was assessed by comparing the measured levels of job satisfaction and job stress before and after the new workstation was implemented. The findings indicated that there were no changes in worker's job stress between the pre- and post-manipulation periods. The humane society workers reported lowered satisfaction than did a national sample. Job satisfaction measures were also found to be lower for the subjects after they worked in the new workstation. In addition, the euthanasia workers in the new workstation rated this environment in more negative terms than the control groups rated their respective workplaces. It is possible that intervening variables, such as unpleasant odors and an increase in the number of animals euthanized during the experimental period, could have explained the results.